Sailormoon Eternity
Book 1 - The Poison of Amaranth
Prologue
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"If we separate them, we can overthrow them."
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	The people of Earth liked to feel that they knew what was going
on around them. Millions of humans slept easier at night knowing that if
they were not safe from each other, they were at least safe from
anything outer space could throw at them. A network of satellites
circled the hovering blue-green globe, monitored by countless scientists
and computers on the surface. With their technology to protect them,
most humans feared no aliens.
	Unfortunately for them, most humans did not believe in magic either.

	As the spaceship approached, the casual observer would have
insisted it was impossible for the enormous craft to get near the Earth
without being seen. The ship was a mass of smooth, shiny metal, and
seemed big enough to carry the entire population of the Earth itself. 
	At first glance it seemed flawless, beautiful, a sleek bird of 
the night. However, up close it was obvious that the ship had seen better
days. In many places the surface of the metal had been severely dented 
and even punctured by stray asteroids and other perils of deep space. 
Some areas of the ship were obviously out of use permanently, the inside 
of the chambers fully visible from the void outside. Where repairs had 
been attempted, the craftsmanship was nowhere near the level of the 
ship's construction.
	The bridge was a large hollow in the prow of the ship, with an
exposed window a dozen feet high and twice as wide, made of glass two feet
thick. Behind the glass stood a tall, slender woman. She had jet black
hair that rolled to the center of her back in smooth waves, and wore a
flowing gown of deep crimson. As she watched the approaching blue-green
planet, one pale hand was lifted to trace the image of the living world
on the glass. 
	"Ah, yes," she said softly, her unfaltering gaze focused on the
world before her. Her eyes were so dark, they often appeared to be
completely black, projecting the image of liquid obsidian pools.
"Another world of life, another chance for us...another civilization to
be brought to an end."
	Her face became cold and severe, her expression becoming stone
as she turned from the window to face the bridge. 
	"Report!"
	A uniformed soldier stepped forward briskly and saluted,
pressing his right fist to his chest and bowing slightly. 
	"Queen Amaranth."
	"What defenses does this planet possess?" the regal woman
inquired, her voice as cold and smooth as new ice.
	"This world is relatively primitive, my lady. They have a small
fleet of spacecrafts, but they are designed only for exploration and
scientific experimentation. They have no spacefaring armada, and no
weaponry that could reach us in orbit."
	Amaranth's thin lips curved into a slight smile beneath the
crimson lipstick. 
	"That is good news, General Jameton. Will they be able to 
detect us?"
	The general nodded solemnly. "The planet's atmosphere is nearly
covered in satellites. Some of the governments on its surface are jumpy
and volatile, and if we are detected, they may find a way to attack us."
	With a nearly imperceptable sigh, the Queen strode across the
bridge to the center seat. 
	"The Crystal," she ordered offhandedly.
	Another soldier approached from one side of the bridge, holding
a small glass case with a hinged lid. Within, a deep red crystal shone
faintly. The soldier moved to stand in front of Amaranth, and stood
facing her as she raised her long, thin fingers to the box and opened
it. With a smooth, casual gesture of her pale hands, the crystal rose
from the box and hovered between the Queen's palms. With a quick bow,
the soldier returned to her post against the wall.
	Standing in front of the command chair, Amaranth raised her
hands until the blood red crystal floated over her heart. With a deep
breath, the Queen closed her eyes and concentrated upon the glowing gem.
	"Crimson Crystal, grant me the power to protect my people," she
murmured softly. The jewel began to shine a brighter red as Amaranth
gathered energy and channeled it into the Crystal. Amaranth tilted her
face toward the ceiling as she intensified her efforts. 
	"Please, Crimson Crystal...give me more energy!" she urged, louder.
	The Queen began to breathe harder and her limbs shook slightly 
as she forced more power into the gem. Soon it was shining such a brilliant
red that the guards present in the room had to turn away, hiding their 
eyes. The deep red shine penetrated every corner of the bridge. Some of 
the soldiers would later find that old scars and other slight injuries 
had been miraculously healed.
	Suddenly Amaranth thrust her arms above her head, the blindingly
bright Crystal still floating between her palms. With a cry of effort
from the Queen, the red light exploded. A wave of crimson energy flowed
out from the jewel and spread in an instant, coating the entire ship
with its power. For a moment the entire craft shone blood red, and then
it vanished. To all observers, there was now only empty space where a
ship as large as a city had been only a moment ago. The deception was so
complete that the stars shone through the hulking metal craft.
	Queen Amaranth lowered her hands, forcing a great shuddering
breath into her lungs. The Crimson Crystal's light had faded, but it
still shown brighter than it had originally, and it now rotated gently 
between Amaranth's palms. Slowly the Queen lowered herself into her
chair. Next to the center seat stood a thin pedestal as high as the
chair's arms, made of red stone. Turning in her chair, Amaranth raised
the Crystal above the pedestal and opened her arms, releasing it. The
gem hovered a few inches over the surface of the stone, turning on its
central axis and filling the bridge with a soft red glow. Amaranth
leaned back in the chair with a sigh to rest from her efforts.
	"Now," she said after a moment, "bring the ship into orbit
around the planet. What sort of Sailor Senshi do this planet have?"
	General Jameton quickly approached the Queen's side again. "My
lady, our research shows that this system is none other than the seat of
the ancient Silver Millennium."
	At this, Amaranth sat up in her chair, startled. "I hope you
have good news to add to that, General."
	"I do, my lady. As you know, the Silver Millennium came to an
end ages ago, but of course, its Senshi have all been reborn in the
modern age. Fortunately, the Royal Family has not yet reestablished
itself on the planet. The Senshi have not reached their full potential
yet, and it appears they have not even fully formed into a single team
at this point."
	The general gestured to a subordinate in the rear of the bridge,
and a transparent viewscreen rolled down from the ceiling to hang in
front of the large glass window. Images of the Earth's Sailor Senshi in
battle and on patrol appeared on the screen, flickering from one picture
to the next rather rapidly. The general watched the data on the young
fighters, experienced and yet so innocent, and swallowed hard before
continuing.
	"The most active Senshi are the Princess Serenity's four
guardians," Jameton explained. This type of briefing was sadly familiar 
to him, and he had learned to keep the tremble from his voice as he spoke. 
	"They are the planet's first line of defense. Our research 
indicates these Senshi are relatively weak, and would need to all act 
in unison to defeat a strong enemy. The Princess herself seems little
stronger than her guardians." 
	Jameton made another gesture, and a few images of four other 
Senshi appeared. Many of these images were unclear and taken from bad 
angles and long distances. 
	"There are other Sailor Senshi, but they seem to have distanced
themselves for the rest of the group. They are older, and therefore 
likely to be more experienced, but they appear to assist only in times 
of direst need."
	The tall, slender woman looked down on the Earth from her
command chair and sneered. She then threw back her head and laughed, an
echoing terror that chilled her soldiers. 
	"Those silly guardian Senshi could never defeat us," the woman
laughed. "It will be easy to take this world. The Senshi's individuality 
is their key weakness - their combined power is their only strength. Our
strategy is simple. If we separate them, we can overthrow them."
	The general looked at the images of the young girls on the data
screens, pity in his eyes. However, he said nothing and waited for
instructions from the Queen. He understood the importance of their
mission, even if he did not agree with the methods.
	"They should be easy to split up," Amaranth continued. "The
Senshi were in small groups to begin with. We can crack them to pieces
and defeat them one piece at a time." 
	Amaranth thought for a minute. "Who to send...?" 
	During her travels, the Queen had gathered quite a collection of
beings from many worlds, each with their own unique abilities. From this
arsenal, she would select the most appropriate nemesis for her intended
victims. As she considered her options, Amaranth pressed a hidden switch 
on the side of the red stone pillar above which her Crimson Crystal 
hovered. A drawer slid open, and the Queen lifted out a small stone box. 
Her fingers caressed the stone for a moment as she sat in silence, thinking.
	Reaching a decision, Amaranth turned to the general again. "Send
the ShapeShifter to me."


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End of Book One, Prologue
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Sailormoon: Eternity copyright 2003 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Original version copyright 1997 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its associated characters and canon 
belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha. Sailor Infinity/Dejana Talis was
created by dejanatalis@aol.com and is her exclusive property, and may
not be used without permission.  Sailor Moon Says: Don't steal! ^.^